Last Sunday I offered an abbreviated version of my sermon. Several people asked for the long version and I thought I would share it here so everyone who wants can read the entire manuscript. Here are some questions to ponder after you read the sermon. What are the "lions" you hear prowling around you? Where does "exceptionalism" help or hinder you? How do you see the difference between "renovation" and "restoration" working in your life? How do you understand the four words in 1 Peter -...

On June 8, First Congregational Church UCC will host Reverend Dr. Alex Awad, a Palestinian Christian raised in Jerusalem who served 26 years as a United Methodist missionary and spent 21 of those years pastoring the East Jerusalem International Church. Rev. Dr. Elmarie Parker, former PCUSA Regional Liaison for Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq, will interview him. Many of you heard Elmarie preach here in April. This talk is a long-planned event that supports both our national UCC commitment to Peace...

Some of you know that I collect stones. Polished stones. Rough stones. Natural stones. Faceted stones. There was a time when I had quite a collection. My favorite was a palm-sized piece of Alaskan schist with marble-sized garnets in it. I loved the contrast of the geologies, and I loved thinking about what it took for this one little piece of magic to form. This coming Sunday, I'm going to share some of my stones with the young (and young at heart!) as part of my kid's message. Polished ones....